Category: Amberian Dawn

I had the pleasure of interviewing TUOMAS SEPPÄLÄ, the founding member and keyboard player of Amberian Dawn. We talked about the history of the band and the new record:

What inspired the name of the band? What are your influences and are they the same as when you started out?

“With the name, we always get asked about it. There’s not so much to say about it really we thought about a lot of different names before we decided on Amberian Dawn. It doesn’t really mean anything.”

“As for my influences, I started playing the piano when I was four, and played classical music, then got into disco bands like Abba, then when I was about thirteen or fourteen I started listening to heavy metal. Bands like Dio, Iron Maiden and Yngwie Malmsteem.”

Has how you approach recording changed since you started?

“It’s changed a lot, in the beginning we were playing power metal, then we moved to symphonic metal, and I suppose now we’re playing pop metal. So there’s different approaches to each of those genres. Every album is different, at least slightly as I’m not quite comfortable with everything being the same.”

Could you talk us through the process of writing and recording for your new album?

“Quite similar process throughout the albums. I make demos in my home studio on pro tools, creating the keyboard and guitar parts, and vocal melodies using guitar or keyboard. I then send the arrangement to Capri our singer, and she works out her lyrics, then we meet for pre-production which allows us to fix any kinks. Then we start recording properly. Keyboards, guitars and bass and drums are recorded then vocals are done last. Increasingly vocals are becoming the most prominent part of our songs so it’s important we get them right. Of the songs on the new record, I’d say Maybe and Sky’s Falling are my favourite songs.”

Do you prefer playing live or in the studio?

‘I’m finding that as we go on, I quite like and prefer working in the studio. It’s a really magical place for me, sometimes it can take a year to finish the record from the time we start writing demos, so having that time is nice. Though I do love playing live, and the bigger the audience the more fun there is.”

What plans do you have for the future?

“Our new album is released in November, and after that we hope to tour. Most likely in Europe in the new year, and to promote the